It’s that time of year…New York Fashion Week! This will be my second annual trip to NYC to experience one of the most exciting weekends in the city. In preparation for the weekend I challenged myself to pack as little as possible for this trip. I’m notorious for overpacking and not wearing half the things I stuff into my suitcase. Here’s how I created my New York City capsule wardrobe and kept my luggage to a minimum.
Smart packing for NYFW means lots of prep (weeks worth of planning.) I wanted to ensure I had everything I needed and nothing I didn’t. I started my packing list by outfit planning. With a goal in mind to keep my suitcase light, I decided to base my NYFW looks around a mini “capsule” wardrobe. I’m a visual person so I created layouts to help keep track of the outfits I plan on wearing each day. Having a layout not only keeps focused, but also provides a great visual for how things will look styled together. Challenge yourself to only style outfits from the pieces you choose and nothing else. You’l be surprised at how creative you become when given a limitation!
For some, fashion week is all about flaunting the newest trends and pushing the envelope. For me, It was important for to stay true to myself and my style. It’s easy to get caught up in hype of fashion week, but don’t let it sway your fashion decisions. You’ll always look best in what you feel comfortable in. I stuck to classic pieces from my favorite brands and I couldn’t be more excited to wear all these outfits this weekend!
Here are some tips and tricks to creating a successful New York Fashion Week capsule wardrobe.
- Color scheme: This should be your first step and is by far the most important in creating a successful capsule wardrobe. Choose a color scheme and stick to it! I chose navy, cognac, denim and gold.
- Interchangeable Accessories: Pick out accessories that will work with all your outfits. Stick to your color scheme and choose accessories that can be easily styled with each outfit. For all the outfits I styled I’m only bringing 2 handbags, 2 pairs of sunglasses, 2 pairs of shoes and jewelry. To keep things interesting, style each outfit with different combinations of your accessories.
- Standout Piece: Be sure to choose 1 or 2 standout pieces to bring with you – it is fashion week after all! For me, this is my beloved vintage Chanel purse! One stand out accessory can make all the difference. I always advise people to mix expensive pieces with affordable pieces – it’s one of my best fashion tricks!
- Versatile Layer: You never know what the weather will be like (especially this time of year in this part of the country) so you always want to be prepared with a layer to throw over your NYFW outfit. Choose something stylish and versatile that can easily pair with all your outfit choices. For me, this was my go-to denim jacket.
- Create Collages: As I mentioned above, outfit layouts are a great way to style outfits and keep your packing in check. Simply take screenshots of all the pieces you intend on packing for your trip. Arrange each piece collage to visualize what the outfit will look like and how the colors work each other. You can easily mix, match and move around your pieces until you’ve created each desired look.
Scroll to the bottom of my post to shop all my New York Fashion Week capsule wardrobe outfits! For live coverage of my time at NYFW, be sure to follow along on my Instagram Stories (@redwhiteanddenim). I’ll also be posting a full recap of my weekend on the blog next week!
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK CAPSULE WARDROBE
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Shop all the pieces from my New York Fashion Week Capsule Wardrobe below! Signet ring is a custom piece from Micheals Jewelers and bracelets/necklace are by Grand Avenue Jewelry.
Here are some fun shots from the Reward Style party!
New York Fashion Week Blogger Tips
Plan
The sooner you start planning the better. Book your travel and accommodations as soon as possible. With NYFW being such a popular weekend in NYC, rates are high and things book up fast. Start requesting invites to shows 2-3 weeks out (and download the GPS Radar app I mentioned above!)
Collaborate
If you don’t mind mixing work with pleasure, definitely work some collaborations into your stay. If there’s a hotel you’d love to stay at or a restaurant you’ve been dying to try, reach out to see if they’re willing to work with you in exchange for payment/social media coverage. It’s a great way to explore new places and share your experience with your following.
Relax
Don’t forget to pencil in time to relax. Fashion week will take a lot out of you, so be sure to schedule some time to take a breather. You’ll need it to re-charge – yourself and your cell phone batteries ;)!
Be in the moment
Try not to get lost in the chaos of NYFW and just enjoy your time in the city. It’s hard to do this when you’re feeling pressure to be at a million events and look your best while doing it. Not to mention fulfilling collaboration requirements and documenting your entire weekend on social media. It’s a lot, so try your’e best not to get too caught up in it.
Network
In my opinion, one of the most important things you can do at Fashion Week is network. After all, it is a ‘business trip’ of sorts. There aren’t many times you get the opportunity to be around so many amazing influencers and brands, so talk to as many people as you can. I’ve only ever had good things come from meeting new people and networking!
-SHOP THE POST-
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